Cooking range



May 17, 1966 e. w. SHADLEY COOKING RANGE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 8, 1963 y 17, 1966 e. w. SHADLEY 3,251,354

COOKING RANGE Filed NOV- 8, 63 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 17, 1966 G. w. SHADLEY 3,251,354

COOKING RANGE Filed Nov. 8, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 f raven [071' 62m 24 j/wczz G. w. SHADLEY COOKING RANGE mr||iiL|i||lll||allfr|al lLiL e a 1 I I I I l I S Tnl frzz/eni' r Glen 2'. j/zczdze "w w United States Patent 3,251,354 COOKING RANGE Glen W. Shadley, Eflingham, 111., assignor to Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Nora-8, 1963, Ser. No. 322,386 10 Claims. (Cl. 12619) This invention relates to a range and more particularly to an oven arrangement for ranges.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved oven for ranges which may be stored in the back panel of the range and can be lowered over an adjacent surface heating unit of the range. The oven is of a relatively small'size and is particularly suited for small items, such as buns, TV dinners, and other small edibles. Due to the small size of the oven, food of the above type may be economically prepared as compared to the use of a conventional oven for the above items since the large heating capacity of the conventional oven is not fully utilized. A novel and advantageous mounting and guiding structure is provided in the ranges back panel adapted to retain the oven in a vertical position and to allow the oven to be easily lowered to a horizontal position above the adjacent surface heating unit.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the range illustrating an oven positioned within a storage compartment in the range back panel and adjacent the surface heater on the top of the range;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view, partially in section, illustrating the oven in its horizontal or operative position above the surface heating element;

FIG. 4 is a top view, partially in section, taken along the lines 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along the lines 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a view taken along the lines 7-7 of FIG. 6;-

and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line .88 of FIG. 5. 7

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown, for purposes of disclosing the invention, a gas range 10 which may vhave a conventional oven (not shown). The range has a back panel 11 with an oven 12 mounted therein. The back panel 11 extends upwardly of the top surface 13 of the range and carries the usual manually settable temperature control and timing devices (not shown) in its forward panel. A surface heater 14 is located adjacent to and forward of the back panel 11.

The surface heater 14 comprises a heating element, which may be an electrical coil or gas burner, supported by the top of the range in a manner well known in the art and is provided with a temperature responsive control 15 of a known type.

The subject matter of the invention may be divided into the support assembly A and the oven cabinet assembly B.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the support assembly A is fabricated from sheet metal of the type commonly used for ranges and includes a bottom wall 20, a top wall 21, a back wall 22, outer vertical side walls 23 and inner vertical side walls 24. The various wall portions of the oven support assembly form a storage compartment in the back 3,251,354 Patented May 17, 1966 panel 11 for the oven 12 and are secured together by sheet metal screws, such as those indicated at 25.

Arcuate guide slots 26 and 27 are provided in each of the inner side walls 24. Guide slots 26 and 27 are adapted to receive and be engaged by rollers mounted on the oven cabinet assembly B to guide the oven cabinet assembly when it is lowered over the surface heating element and returned to the back panel compartment. When the slots 26 and 27 are formed in the inner side walls 24, a lip or flange 28 is formed on the perimeter of the slots extending outwardly and at a right angle to the inner vertical side walls 24 (FIG. 4) which serves to strengthen the slots and provide smooth bearing surfaces for the rollers to be described later. The guide slots 26 each have an upper portion 29 and a lower portion 30. p

A lever 31 is pivoted on the outer side wall 23 at 32 (the lower wall 23 as viewed in FIG. 4) and engages a resilient arm 33. The arm 33 (FIG. 7) is mounted on a microswitch 34 fixed to the range back panel. Operating button 35 of the microswitch 34 is engaged by the resilient arm 33.

The oven cabinet assembly B includes an outer wall which encloses three sides of the oven, as best illustrated in FIG. 5. A bottom plate 41 encloses the bottom portion of theoven and is secured to the ends of the wall portion 40 through the longitudinally extending flanges, indicated at 42 by sheet metal screws (not illustrated). End plate 43 encloses the top end of the oven, as viewed in its stored a position in FIG. 2.

A door 44 encloses the lower end of the oven, as viewed in FIG. 2. The oven is shown in its operating position in FIG. 3 with the door 44 open. A recess (not illustrated) is provided on the oven door 44 to serve as a handle for opening and closing the door. a

The outer portion 40 of the oven cabinet assembly is provided with a handle 45 secured to the outer wall 40 by screws 46. The handle 45 is conveniently located to facilitate movement of the oven between its stored and operative positions.

The inner oven 50 provides a cooking chamber and comprises a substantially enclosed one-piece box of welded construction which is open on the lower end to accommodate the door 44, as viewed in FIG. 2. The lower end of the inner oven, as viewed in FIG. 2, is flanged over a support member 51, as indicated at 52. The support member 51 engages the flanged over portion of the outer wall 40, as indicated at 53, and a flanged over portion of the bottom plate 41 as indicated at 54.

The inner oven 50 is provided with mounting bosses 55 and 56, indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 4. The inner oven 50 is secured to the end plate 43 of the oven cabinet assembly B by sheet metal, screws (not illustrated), extending through the bosses 55 and 56. Since the lower end of the inner oven 50 is flanged over the support member 51, as indicated at 52, the inner oven 50 is securely held in place by the screws at the mounting hoses 55 and 56. End plate 43 meets with the flanged-over portion of the bottom plate 41, as indicated at 60, and. also As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, each of the rollers comprise a flanged portion 69 and a straight portion 70. The straight portions 70 are provided to allow the rollers to roll smoothly along the guide slots. In

cooperation with the screws 71 and nuts 72, the flanges 69 serve to secure the rollers within the guide slots and thereby the oven 12 within the back panel 11.

The rollers 67 and 68 are preferably made of a plastic material, such as nylon, to provide quiet operation as the oven.'is moved, and also to eliminate the need for lubrication of the rollers.

Referring to FIG. 2, the oven door 44 is suitably hinged to the bottom plate 41, as indicated at 75. The door 44 has mounted thereon supports 76 and 77. The supports 76 and 77 may be secured to the door 44 by means of welding, or any suitable method. Links 78 and 79 are pivotally secured to the support members 76 and 77 by pins 80 and 81 respectively. The opposite ends of the links 78 and 79 have hooked portions formed therein which engage rivets 82 mounted on the tray support 83.

The tray 84, designed to hold the goods to be baked, rests on raised portions 85 of the tray support 83, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Thus, the tray support 83 serves to hold the tray 84 up off the bottom of the inner oven 50.

When the oven door 44 is in its closed position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the tray support 83 will assume the position illustrated in FIG. 2 against the bottom wall of the inner oven 50 due to the action of the supports 76 and 77 and links 78 and 79. When the oven door is open, as illustrated in FIG. 3 to provide access for inserting goods to be baked or removing-baked goods, the supports 76 and 77 through the pins 80 and 81 serve to pull the links 78 and 79 to the left, as indicated in FIG. 3. Thus, the tray support 83 is moved to the left or forward towards the oven door when the oven door is opened. Thus, easy access is provided to the oven tray 84, since the oven tray support 83 is automatically moved partially out of the oven towards the oven door 44 when the oven door 44 is open.

A thermostatic control 90 of a known type is mounted on the inner oven 50, as indicated at 91 in FIG. 5. Asbestos liners 93 and 94 surround the inner oven 50 and' hold the heating coils 92 in position around the inner oven 50. The ends of the asbestos liners 93 and 94 are secured together by means of staples (not illustrated) and provide a complete encircling structure around the inner oven 50.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, separate strips of asbestos material 95 are connected by staples 96 to the asbestos liner 93 and securely hold the coils 92 in position.

The operation of the oven is as follows: When it is desired to use the oven to bake or heat small items, the handle 45 is lifted and pushed in at the same time. As illustrated in FIG. 2, this will move the rollers 67 and 68 along the guide slots 26 and 27 respectively to lower the oven into position over the surface heater of the range. In FIG. 2, the dotted lines illustrate the various positions the oven assumes as it is lowered.

The only lifting required is that required to move the rollers 67 through the first portion 29 of the guide slots 26. When the rollers clear the first portion 29 and move into the second portion 30 of the guide slots 26, the center of gravity of the oven is such that the force of gravity will assist in moving the oven to its horizontal or operative position as the rollers 67 move through the portion 30 of the guide slot 26 and the oven finally assumes the position illustrated in FIG. 3.

As the oven reaches its operative position, one of the rollers 68 will move lever 31 down, which will raise the resilient arm 33. The resilient arm 33 moves operating button 35 and actuates microswitch 34, which will switch the electric power from the surface heating unit 14 to the heating coils 92. The control circuit is more particularly described in copending application Serial No. 322,361, filed November 8, 1963.

When the oven 12 is in its horizontal position on the surface unit 14, the door 44 may be opened and the food to be heated inserted in the oven, the door 44 is then closed and the proper temperature is selected by the use of the thermostatic switch 91.

When it is desired to return the oven 12 to its stored position, the handle 45 is lifted, moving the rollers 67 and 68 along the guide slots 26 and 27 respectively until the oven assumes its vertical position, as illustrated in FIG. 2. After the rollers 67 move from the lower portion 30 of the guide slot 26 into the upper portion 29, the force of gravity aids in moving the oven to its final vertical storage position in the back panel. Due to the shape of the portions 29 of the guide slots 26, the oven is held in its vertical position without the need of a fastening or securing device, since the portion 29, in cooperation with rollers 67, serves in effect as a hanger for the oven 12.

From the above it will be apparent that I have pro vided an efiicient and convenient oven for heating or cooking small items of food, such as TV dinners or the like. The structure of the range back panel 11 is so designed to store the oven while utilizing a minimum of the cooking surface area of the range. The structure is simplified'as the guide slots 26 and 27 may be easily formed in the sheet metal normally used in range construction. Due to the shape of the guide slots 26 and 27, the oven may be easily lowered into position over the surface heating unit, and also no further fastening or securing means are needed to hold the oven in its stored position.

The supports 76 and links 78 automatically withdraw the tray support of the oven when the door 44 is opened, thus providing easy access to the food which has been heated or cooked. This is an important feature, since the opening of the oven, of the size of the oven of the subject invention, is quite small and it would be difiicult to handle food if necessary to reach into the oven itself.

The present invention is easily adapted for use with either electric or gas-type cooking ranges. When the subject invention is used with a range, the surface heating unit itself may be used as the heat source for the oven. The lower portion 41 of the oven can be formed of a material which may be in direct contact with the gas flame or electric heating coil. In such case, the thermostatic control switch of the subject invention is not necessary, since the heating by the surface heating unit would, in the case of an electric range, be controlled by a thermostatic temperature controlling device 15, or in the case of a gas range, by a control device such as illustrated in US. Patent 2,862,667.

While there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention; and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details and construction of the embodiments set forth, but wish to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined storage compartment and oven including support mechanism for said oven wherein said oven is adapted to be stored in a first position within said storage compartment and movable to a second position for cooking, said storage compartment and support mechanism comprising a back wall and two vertical side walls, a pair of arcuate guide slots formed in each of said two vertical side walls, said oven having a plurality of guide elements mounted thereon engaged with said guide, slots, one of said guide slots in each vertical side wall having a generally vertical and downwardly extending first portion designed to cooperate with the associated guide element to form a hanger for said oven and to hold said oven in its first position whereby a lifting force is required to move said oven from said first position, and a second generally vertical portion permitting said oven to be moved into its second position when said guide elements are engaged with said second portions of said guide slots.

2. A combined storage compartment and oven including support mechanism for said oven wherein said oven is adapted to be stored in a first position within said storage compartment and movable to a second position for cooking, said storage compartment and support mechanism comprising a back wall and two vertical side walls, a pair of arcuate guide slots formed in each of said two vertical side walls, said oven having a plurality of guide elements mounted thereon engaged with said guide slots, one of said guide slots in each vertical side wall having a generally vertical and downwardly extending first portion designed to form a hanger for said oven and to cooperate with the associated guide element to hold said oven in its first position whereby a lifting force is required to move said oven from said first position, and a second generally vertical portion of gretaer length than said first portion permitting said oven to be moved into its second position with the assistance of the weight of said oven when said guide elements are engaged with said second portions of said guide slots.

3. A combined storage compartment and oven including support mechanism for said oven wherein said oven is adapted to be stored in a first position within said storage compartment and movable to a second position for cooking, said storage compartment and support mechanism comprising a back wall and two vertical side walls, a pair of arcuate guide slots formed in each of said two vertical side walls, said oven having a plurality of guide rollers mounted thereon engaged with said guide slots, one of said guide slots in each vertical side wall having a generally vertical and downwardly extending first portion designed to form a hanger for said oven and to hold said oven in its first position when said guide rollers are engaged with said first portion whereby a lifting force is required to move said oven from said first position, and a second generally vertical portion of greater length than said first portion permitting said oven to be moved into its second position when said guide rollers are engaged with said second portion of said guide slots.

4. A combined storage compartment and oven including support mechnaism for said oven wherein said oven is adapted to be stored in a first position within said storage compartment and movable to a second position for cooking, said storage compartment and support mechanism comprising a back wall and two vertical side walls, a pair of arcuate guide slots formed in each of said two vertical side walls, said oven having a plurality of guide rollers mounted thereon engaged with said guide slots, one of said guide slots in each vertical side wall having a generally vertical and downwardly extending first portion designed to form a hanger for said oven and to hold said oven in its first position when said guide rollers are engaged with said first portion whereby a lifting force is required to move said oven from said first position, and a second generally vertical portion of greater length than said first portion permitting said oven to be moved into its second position with the assistance of the weight of said oven when said guide rollers are engaged with said second portion of said guide slots.

5. A combined storage compartment and oven including support mechanism for said oven wherein said oven is adapted to be stored in a vertical position within said storage compartment and movable to a horizontal position for cooking, said storage compartment and support mechanism comprising a back wall and two vertical side walls formed of sheet metal, a pair of arcuate guide slots formed in each of said two vertical side walls, said oven having a plurality of guide rollers mounted thereon engaged with said guide slots, said guide slots being formed in said sheet metal with a flange at the perimeter of said slots extending outwardly from and at a right angle to said vertical side walls, said flange providing a .bearing surface for said rollers and serving to strengthen said vertical side walls, one of said guide slots in each vertical side wall having a generally vertical and downwardly extending first portion designed to form a hanger for said oven and to hold said oven in its vertical position when said guide rollers are engaged with said first portion whereby a lifting force is required to move said oven from said first position, and a second generally vertical portion of greater length than said first portion permitting said oven to be moved into its horizontal position with the assistance of the weight of said oven when said guide rollers are engaged with said second portion of said guide slots.

6. In a heating appliance including a main body portion with a heater provided in its top surface, a back panel disposed at the rear of and extending above the top-surface of said main body portion and having a storage compartment therein facing toward said heater,

said storage compartment including a back wall and two vertical side walls, a pair of arcuate guide slots formed in each of said two vertical side walls, an oven positioned within said storage compartment and adapted to be stored in a first position within said compartment and movable to a second cooking position above said surface heater, a plurality of guide means mounted on said oven and engaged with said guide slots, one of said guide slots in each vertical side wall having a generally vertical and downwardly extending first portion designed to form a hanger for said oven and to hold said oven in its first position when said guide means are engaged with said first portion whereby a lifting force is required to move said oven from said first position, and a second generally vertical portion of greater length than said first portion permitting said oven to be moved to its second position above said surface heater when said guide means are engaged with said second portion of said guide slots.

7. In a heating appliance including a main body portion with a heater provided in its top surface, a back panel disposed at the rear thereof and extending above the top surface of said main body portion and having a storage compartment therein facing towards said heater, said storage compartment including a back wall and two vertical sidewalls, a pair of arcuate guide slots formed in each of said two vertical side walls, an oven mounted in said compartment and adapted to be stored in a vertical position within said compartment and movable to a horizontal cooking position above said surface heater, a plurality of guide rollers mounted on said oven and engaged with said guide slots, one of said guide slots in each vertical side wall having a generally vertical and downwardly extending first portion designed to form a hanger for said oven and to hold said oven in its vertical position when said guide rollers are engaged with said first portion whereby a lifting force is required to move said oven from said first position, and a second generally vertical portion of greater length than said first portion permitting said oven to be moved to its horizontal position in engagement with said surface heater with the assisting force of the weight of said oven when said guide rollers are engaged with said second portion of said guide slots.

8. In a heating appliance including a main body portion with a heater provided in its top surface, a back panel disposed at the rear thereof and extending above the top surface of said main body portion and having a storage compartment therein facing toward said heater, said storage compartment including a back wall and two vertical side walls, an oven mounted within said storage compartment, said oven having a first position in which the oven is stored within said compartment and a second position for cooking in which the oven extends outward from said compartment above said heater, a pair of arcuate guide slots formed in each of said vertical side walls of said storage compartment, a plurality of guide rollers mounted on said oven and engaged with said guide slots, said guide rollers having a flange thereon engaging said vertical side walls and serving to retain the oven within said compartment, one of said guide 7 slots in each vertical side wall having a generally vertical and downwardly extending first portion designed to form a hanger for said oven and to hold said oven in its stored position when said guide rollers are engaged with said first portion whereby a lifting force is required to move said oven from said first position, and a second generally vertical portion of greater length than said first portion permitting said oven to be moved to its cooking position in engagement with said heater with the assistance of the force of gravity when said guide rollers are engaged with said second portion of said guide slots.

9. In a heating appliance including a main body portion with a heater provided in its top surface, a back panel disposed at the rear thereof and extending above the top surface of said main body portion and having a storage compartment therein facing toward said heater, said storage compartment including a back wall and two vertical side walls formed of sheet metal, a pair of arcuate guide slots formed in each of said two vertical side walls, an oven mounted in said compartment and movable to a horizontal cooking position above said surface heater, a plurality of guide rollers mounted on said oven and engaged with said guide slots, said guide being formed in said sheet metal with a flange on the perimeter of said slots extending outwardly from and at right angles to said vertical side walls, said flange providing a bearing surface for said rollers and serving to strengthen said vertical side walls, one of said guide slots in each vertical side wall having a generally vertical and downwardly extending first portion designed to form a hanger for said oven and to hold said oven in its vertical position when said guide rollers are engaged with said first portion whereby a lifting force is required to move said oven from said first position, and a second generally vertical portion of greater length than said first portion permitting the oven to be moved to its horizontal position in engagement with said surface heater with the assisting force of the weight of said oven when said guide rollers are engaged with said second portion of said guide slots.

10. In a heating appliance including a main body portion with a heater provided in its top surface, a back panel disposed at the rear thereof and extending above the top surface of said main body portion and having a storage compartment therein facing towards said heater, said storage compartment including a back wall 5 and two vertical side walls, a pair of arcuate guide slots formed in each of said two vertical side walls, an oven mounted in said compartment and adapted to be stored in a first position within said compartment and movable to a second cooking position above said surface heater, a plurality of guide rollers mounted on said oven and engaged with said guide slots, said oven having a door formed therein accessible when said oven is in its cooking position, a tray support within said oven adapted to support a tray for food to be cooked in said oven, means connecting said door with said tray support whereby, when said door is open, said tray support is partially withdrawn from said oven to provide access to the food Within said oven, one of said guide slots in each vertical side wall having a generally vertical and downwardly extending first portion designed to form a hanger for said oven and hold said oven in its first position when said guide rollers are engaged with said first portion whereby a lifting force is required to move said oven from said first position, and a second generally vertical portion of greater length than said first portion permitting said oven to be moved to its cooking position in engagement with said heater with the assisting force of the weight of said oven when said guide rollers are en- 30 gaged with said second portion of said guide slots.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CHARLES I. MYHRE, Primary Examiner.

JAMES W. WESTHAVER, FREDERICK L. MA'I'IE- SON, JR., Examiners. 

1. A COMBINED STORAGE COMPARTMENT AND OVEN INCLUDING SUPPORT MECHANISM FOR SAID OVEN WHEREIN SAID OVEN IS ADAPTED TO BE STORED IN A FIRST POSITION WITHIN SAID STORAGE COMPARTMENT AND MOVABLE TO A SECOND POSITION FOR COOKING, SAID STORAGE COMPARTMENT AND SUPPORT MECHANISM COMPRISING A BACK WALL AND TWO VERTICAL SIDE WALLS, A PAIR OF ARCUATE GUIDE SLOTS FORMED IN EACH OF SAID TWO VERTICAL SIDE WALLS, SAID OVEN HAVING A PLURALITY OF GUIDE ELEMENTS MOUNTED THEREON ENGAGED WITH SAID GUIDE SLOTS, ONE OF SAID GUIDE SLOTS IN EACH VERTICAL SIDE WALL HAVING A GENERALLY VERTICAL AND DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING FIRST PORTION DESIGNED TO COOPERATE WITH THE ASSOCIATED GUIDE ELEMENT TO FORM A HANGER FOR SAID OVEN AND TO HOLD SAID OVEN IN ITS FIRST POSITION WHEREBY A LIFTING FORCE IS REQUIRED TO MOVE SAID OVEN FROM SAID FIRST POSITION, AND A SECOND GENERALLY VERTICAL PORTION PERMITTING SAID OVEN TO BE MOVED INTO ITS SECOND POSITION WHEN SAID GUIDE ELEMENTS ARE ENGAGED WITH SAID SECOND PORTIONS OF SAID GUIDE SLOTS. 